THE SOVIET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 81, 16 January 1928, Page 5

THE SOVIET

ANOTHER ACCUSATION. SECRET FUND REVEALED. . MALVERSATION ALLEGED. (Pc/ Press Association—Copy light.) RIGA, January 14. It is disclosed that Trotsky at one of his meetings made extraordinary revelations concerning the secret reserve funds of the Communist Paity. He said that when Deniken and Kalchak were nearing Moscow and the whole of Russia was ablaze with revolt the Soviet Departments, acting on Lenin's instructions, confiscated money, valuables, and jewels, wholesale, from which a secret fund of £20,000,000 was formed, so that the leaders, in case of necessity, could escape abroad and carry or. the Party's work. Only Lenin and his such as Trotsky, Zinovieff, and Kameneff, were aware of this fund. The Bolsheviks survived ' and duly consolidated their position, and the fund remained untouched during Lenin's lifetime. Stalin raided the fund when the Party became impoverished and created many sinecures, even commercial and semi-commercial organisations, by which Stalin's supporters, their follow ers, and friends, were enabled to thrive. Trotsky urged the workers to demand a full account of the secret funds. The revelations, it is stated, have produced a stunning effect. THE CZAR'S DEATH. BRITISH ATTITUDE CRITICISED. LONDON, January 15. Kerensky, interviewed in Pans by the "Central News" correspun lent, said Britain could have saved ■ he Czar if she had wished. "At the beginning of the revolution," he declared, "it was impossible to do anything, but. in the mid-summer of 1918, when President of the Provisional Government, I requested the British Ambassador to ask his Government to save the Czar he telegraphed, to London and received the clear and precise reply hat it was impossible to do anything before the) end of the war. England did not want to irritate the workers' sentiments. It was impossible for us to send the Emperor abroad, so I prepared to send him to Bolsk, where the population was peaceful. The British Ambassador was.fast approached in, March, when he offered to arrange for the Emperor's safety, but owing to passions running high in Russia, it was then impossible to do anything."

THE BANISHMENTS. t LONDON, January 15. The correspondent of the British United Press in Berlin says that in contrast to the punishment meted out to the other members of the Opposition. Zinovieff and Kameneff are being sent on a "Party mission" to Voronezh, in Southern Russia. It is believed that the journey is m the nature of a disciplinary measure, and may end in their readmission to the Communist Party. DRUNKENNESS INCREASING. RIGA, January 14. Soviet officials touring the country to.induce peasants to subscribe to the •£10,000,000 loan designed to meet the needs of rural economy were ' pained to discover that agriculturists were uema/idmg public-houses similar to those in Western Europe, wishing for relaxation without being compelled to listen tj political lectures and Communist l eports. Officials declare that there is an alarming increase in drunkenness among the peasants, who are spending one-fifth of their incomes on drink in village clubs founded by the Soviet.

M. Stalin, as head of the Communist Party, is the real ruler of Russia, though M. Rykoff is in the office which corresponds to that of Prime. Minister. M. Trotsky and his friends have consistently opposed the Stalin Party for the last two years, and this month were ordered into exile after being expelled from the Communist Party.